BBC greenlights Pistorius doc

The BBC has commissioned a fast-turnaround documentary on South African blade-runner Oscar Pistorius, who is accused of shooting dead his girlfriend at their home last week.

Reeva Steenkamp was shot four times through a bathroom door at Pistorius’ home in Pretoria but the Paralympics star says it was an accident after he mistook her for an intruder.

BBC3 has commissioned Mentorn Media to produce a 1×60′ doc on the incident, executive produced by Steve Anderson. The doc will be fronted by Rick Edwards, who presented the Paralympics coverage for BBC’s terrestrial rival Channel 4 in September last year.

Mentorn has previously worked on a special on Hurricane Sandy for BBC3 and a Dispatches special on the murder of Anni Dewani in South Africa for Channel 4. The Pistorius doc will be distributed internationally by Passion Distribution.